Interesting how this door is shot from above … descending into the Smoke Room, like you are coming from a better place, into a seedy and decrepit hole. All that is missing is a flickering red neon light, and darkness behind the door, which is only punctuated by the glowing ends of evil, evil cigarettes! On an artistic note – it is a little hard to see, but doesn’t the rich brown of the copper door handle work well, colour-wise, with the royal blue door? Something to take note of for your own use of copper. Photo credits: Old door by Ian Broyles

If you needed yet another reason to go for the beautiful softness of patinated brass in your door furniture, here it is! We’ve already looked at how brass is naturally bactericidal, without having any resins, coatings or anything else applied to it. And we also know (from the foot pull post!) exactly how icky door knobs that aren’t in your own home can be. Well, courtesy of an American news service, we are reminded that if somebody with the flu covers up a cough or sneeze with their hand, exactly like they are supposed to for good hygiene (when there aren’t any tissues handy), but then needs...

These swan door handles are on the door of a church in St Colombo’s, Co., Sligo in Ireland. Again, while the verdigris makes them really stand out, can you imagine how gorgeous they would have been when they were new and shiny! The photographer says that Yeats (William Butler) is buried not far from this church, and his grandfather was the rector there. Sligo is where Yeats spent most of his childhood. Reading Yeats’ poetry, which has a beautiful rhythm that always makes you want to read it aloud (and then cringe at your imperfect rendering of his words!), you can relate it so intimately to...

This awesome door knocker is on Powis Castle in Wales … where they have a rich history and tradition closely tied to dragons (or ‘wyrms’!). The set of his body very much seems to suggest soaring and flight … but his tentacles seem quite planted on the door, and his tail is twisted around back towards his body. A piece full of contradictions, all the more enjoyable for their genuine story and history. Photo credits: Door Knocker by Shappa

There are so many superstitions about keeping things out, in, affecting luck and changing family fortunes by simply hanging various grocery items above one of your doors. Aside from making your house smell nice, things like lemon, fennel, mint, and chili were meant to also protect your house in various ways. Feel free to experiment yourself … but remember, brass, copper and iron are a lot more durable, and don’t go rotten so quickly Fennel Fennel is meant to guard against witches – you are supposed to stuff it in your keyhole. I am not sure where you are meant to put your keys while you...